North Korea welcomes tourists again after 5-year hiatus
North Korea is set to reopen its borders to foreign tourists in December, as per information from tour operators. This move comes after nearly five years of closure due to stringent COVID-19 restrictions. The decision marks a significant shift for Kim Jong Un's hermit kingdom, which has remained largely isolated from the rest of the world.
Tourism to resume in Samjiyon, possibly nationwide
Tourism is expected to resume in the northeastern city of Samjiyon and potentially across the entire country by year's end, according to tour companies. Beijing-based Koryo Tours expressed their excitement about the reopening of North Korean tourism, noting that they had been eagerly anticipating this moment for over four years. Another agency, KTG Tours, also confirmed plans for winter tours in Samjiyon.
Samjiyon: North Korea's 'socialist utopia'
North Korean leaders have been developing what they describe as a "socialist utopia" in Samjiyon, a city near the Chinese border. The area is being promoted as a "model of highly-civilized mountain city" featuring new apartments, hotels, ski resorts and other institutions such as medical and cultural facilities. Despite the resumption of international flights last year and a private tour for Russian tourists in February, North Korea's borders have remained closed since 2020.
US citizens still excluded from North Korean travel
Despite the reopening, American citizens are still barred from entering North Korea. The State Department maintains that all US passports are invalid for travel in, out, or through North Korea unless special permission is granted by the Secretary of State. The agency further warns that Americans face a serious risk of arrest and long-term detention in the country. This comes despite former President Donald Trump's historic meeting with Kim Jong Un in 2019 at the demilitarized zone dividing North and South Korea.
Border closure had worsened food scarcity in North korea
North Korea, which sealed itself off at the pandemic's onset in early 2020, began easing restrictions in mid-2023. The border closures caused essential goods shortages and worsened food scarcity due to international sanctions. Shenyang's KTG Tours noted on Facebook that while Samjiyon is confirmed for reopening, Pyongyang and other locations may soon follow. Beijing's Koryo Tours suggested that tourists could potentially visit other parts of North Korea as early as December.
